There’s a universal magic to gathering around a fire. It’s primal, comforting, a focal point for stories, laughter, and quiet moments under the stars. For years, my backyard gatherings ended the same way: with everyone playing a game of “musical chairs,” dodging plumes of acrid smoke, our clothes and hair hopelessly infused with the smell of a forest fire. We loved the warmth and the light, but the constant eye-watering and coughing fits were a tradition we were eager to break. A traditional fire pit was a smoke monster, and frankly, a neighborhood nuisance. We knew there had to be a better way to capture the campfire experience without the drawbacks, which led us on a mission to find a solution that delivered all the ambiance with none of the annoyance.
What to Consider Before Buying a Smokeless Fire Pit
A smokeless fire pit is more than just a steel container; it’s a key solution for reclaiming your outdoor space. It transforms a patio or backyard into a year-round destination, enabling comfortable, smoke-free gatherings that won’t have you or your guests running for cover. The main benefit is its advanced airflow technology, which creates a secondary combustion. This process burns off the fine particles (smoke) before they can escape, resulting in a cleaner, hotter, and more efficient fire. It means less irritation, no more smelly clothes, and a more pleasant experience for everyone, including your neighbors.
The ideal customer for this type of product is someone who loves the authentic experience of a real wood fire but detests the smoke. This includes urban and suburban homeowners with smaller yards, families who want to roast marshmallows without the tears, and anyone who values clean, efficient technology. However, it might not be suitable for those who prefer the simplicity and instant-on convenience of propane pits, or for purists who believe a little smoke is part of the rustic charm. For those seeking absolute convenience over a real wood flame, a high-quality propane model might be a better alternative.
Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:
- Dimensions & Space: Consider the overall footprint of the fire pit. The Cuisinart 24″ Cleanburn Smokeless Fire Pit has a 24.5-inch diameter, making it substantial enough for a good-sized fire but compact enough for most patios. Always ensure you have adequate clearance from flammable materials—at least 10-15 feet in all directions is a safe rule of thumb.
- Performance & Fuel Efficiency: A key metric for smokeless pits is how effectively they burn wood. Look for designs with double-wall construction and strategically placed vents, which facilitate the secondary burn. An efficient pit will produce intense heat and leave behind only fine ash, meaning you get more warmth from less wood.
- Materials & Durability: Stainless steel is the gold standard for smokeless fire pits due to its resistance to high temperatures and corrosion. The Cuisinart model combines a stainless steel interior with a high-heat enamel-coated exterior, offering a great balance of longevity and aesthetic appeal. Cheaper alloy steel pits may rust or warp over time.
- Ease of Use & Maintenance: Think about the entire lifecycle of a fire, from starting it to cleaning up. A good fire pit should be easy to light and even easier to clean. Features like a removable ash tray, like the one found in the Cuisinart 24″ Cleanburn Smokeless Fire Pit, are a game-changer for long-term maintenance, saving you from the messy task of scooping or tipping out embers.
Understanding these factors will ensure you choose a fire pit that not only performs well but also fits seamlessly into your outdoor lifestyle.
While the Cuisinart 24″ Cleanburn Smokeless Fire Pit is an excellent choice, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:
First Impressions: Sleek Design Meets Effortless Assembly
Unboxing the Cuisinart 24″ Cleanburn Smokeless Fire Pit was refreshingly simple. It arrived in three main pieces: the exterior drum, the removable ash base, and the stainless steel wind guard/bowl ring. There were no bags of tiny screws or confusing diagrams; assembly took less than five minutes. You simply place the main body onto the locking base and set the ring on top. The immediate impression is one of quality and thoughtful design. The high-heat enamel coating has a premium matte finish, and the stainless steel components are polished and feel substantial. At 22 pounds, it’s surprisingly lightweight, confirming its portability claims. We could easily imagine one person carrying it from the garage to the patio or packing it for a camping trip. Compared to some of its heavier, single-piece competitors, this modular design felt both elegant and practical right out of the box. It has a modern, clean aesthetic that elevates it beyond a simple metal can, looking right at home on a well-appointed patio. After our first look, we were eager to see if its performance matched its promising design. You can see its full feature set and detailed specs online.
Advantages
- Truly effective smokeless performance once the fire is established
- Extremely efficient burning process leaves behind minimal fine ash
- Innovative removable ash tray makes cleanup remarkably fast and easy
- Lightweight and portable design for use at home or on the go
Limitations
- Heat is projected more vertically, providing less radiant warmth to those seated
- The high heat generated can scorch grass or damage wood decks without a heat shield
Deep Dive: Deconstructing the Cleanburn Performance
A fire pit can look great, but its true value is revealed when you light the first fire. We spent several weeks putting the Cuisinart 24″ Cleanburn Smokeless Fire Pit through its paces with different types of wood, in various weather conditions, to see if its “Cleanburn” name was just marketing speak or a genuine promise. From chilly autumn evenings to damp, post-rain afternoons, we evaluated it on its core functions: smoke reduction, heat output, efficiency, and overall usability.
The Magic of Smokeless Technology: A Breath of Fresh Air
The heart of this fire pit is its patented double-wall construction, and we can confirm it works brilliantly. The design draws cool air in through vents at the bottom of the outer wall. This air is then heated as it rises within the wall cavity and exits through a ring of holes along the inner rim. This rush of superheated oxygen ignites the smoke particles before they can escape the pit, creating a mesmerizing secondary burn that dances atop the primary flames. The result? A drastically reduced smoke output. During our tests, we noticed a small amount of smoke during the initial ignition phase, which is completely normal as the pit heats up. However, once the fire was established and the walls were hot (typically within 5-10 minutes), the smoke virtually vanished. As one user aptly noted, the key is to keep the wood logs below the level of the upper vent holes. We found this to be true; overloading the pit causes smoke. When used correctly, we could sit directly beside it without playing the smoke-dodging game. This is a feature that has genuinely changed how we enjoy our backyard, a sentiment echoed by many users who rave about finally having “hours of fire pit bliss” without their eyes watering or clothes reeking of smoke. For anyone in a city or suburb concerned about bothering neighbors, this smoke-reducing capability is its most compelling feature.
A Timber Incinerator: Heat Output and Burning Efficiency
This fire pit doesn’t just burn wood; it consumes it with ferocious efficiency. Several users have called it a “timber incinerator,” and we couldn’t agree more. The enhanced airflow that eliminates smoke also creates an incredibly hot, vibrant fire. We tested it with standard seasoned hardwoods like oak and birch, and were amazed at the heat output. Even slightly damp wood, which would smolder and choke in a regular pit, was quickly dried out and incinerated by the intense heat. This efficiency means you get a powerful fire that throws significant heat. However, it’s important to understand how that heat is directed. As one user accurately observed, the high, straight walls tend to channel the heat upwards more than outwards. While standing around the pit is incredibly warm, those seated in chairs a few feet away will feel less radiant heat on their legs compared to a wide, open-bowl style pit. It’s a trade-off for the smokeless design. The upside to this focused, efficient burn is the cleanup. After a four-hour fire using several split logs, we were left with nothing more than a small pile of ultra-fine, grey ash at the bottom. This complete combustion is a testament to the unit’s excellent design and a feature that really sets it apart from traditional pits.
Design in Action: Portability and Revolutionary Cleanup
Beyond its burning capabilities, the Cuisinart 24″ Cleanburn Smokeless Fire Pit excels in practical, real-world usability. Weighing only 22 pounds and featuring an integrated handle in the base, it’s genuinely portable. We moved it effortlessly between our stone patio and a gravel area in the yard. This makes it a fantastic option not just for home use, but for car camping or bringing to a friend’s barbecue. The stainless steel and enamel construction held up well to the intense heat, though as expected, the interior stainless steel develops a golden-bronze patina after the first burn—this is normal and does not affect performance. But the single most celebrated design feature, in our opinion, is the removable ash tray. This is an absolute game-changer. With traditional smokeless pits, cleanup involves waiting for it to cool completely and then tipping the entire heavy, awkward unit over to dump the ash. With the Cuisinart, you simply lift the main body off the base, carry the lightweight tray to your compost or trash bin, and dump it. The entire process takes seconds and is completely mess-free. This simple, elegant solution removes the biggest chore associated with wood-burning fire pits and makes us far more likely to use it on a regular basis. You can explore this easy-clean system in more detail before you buy.
Practical Considerations: Setup and Essential Accessories
As noted, the initial setup is trivially easy. It’s ready to go in minutes. However, our testing revealed a couple of practical considerations potential buyers should be aware of, which were also highlighted in user feedback. First, this fire pit gets incredibly hot on the bottom. One user reported burning their grass, and we can absolutely see how that would happen. We strongly recommend using it on a non-flammable surface like stone, gravel, or concrete. If you must use it on a lawn or wood deck, investing in a heat-resistant fire pit mat is non-negotiable. Second, the vigorous upward airflow can sometimes send small sparks and embers flying, especially with drier, poppier woods like pine. A few users mentioned this, and we experienced it as well. Purchasing the compatible spark screen is a wise investment for safety and peace of mind, particularly if you have children or pets, or are using it in a windy area. These are not flaws in the design, but rather important operational details to be aware of to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience with such a high-performance fire pit.
What Other Users Are Saying
After extensive testing, we found our experiences closely mirrored the consensus among other users. The praise is overwhelmingly positive, with many, like one seasoned owner of over 35 years, calling it “the best fire pit I have owned.” The smokeless performance is a recurring theme, with people celebrating that “the smoke all goes upwards and not sideways,” finally allowing their families to enjoy the fire without constantly moving seats. The efficiency is another major point of satisfaction; one reviewer was amazed that it “just incinerates” even wet wood and “burns down to just a few small crumbles.”
The constructive feedback is also consistent and valuable. The most common point, which we also noted, is the nature of the heat projection. One user described it perfectly: “The warmth is more narrow, focused than my previous wider and lower fire pits.” This isn’t necessarily a negative, but an important characteristic to be aware of—you may need to sit a bit closer. The other critical piece of feedback involves safety. A user warned that the pit “got so hot underneath it burned the grass,” reinforcing our recommendation to use a heat shield on sensitive surfaces. This collective feedback paints a clear picture of a high-performance, well-loved product with a few operational quirks that are easily managed with the right accessories and placement.
How Does the Cuisinart 24″ Cleanburn Smokeless Fire Pit Compare to Alternatives?
The Cuisinart 24″ Cleanburn Smokeless Fire Pit stands out in a crowded market, but different users have different needs. Here’s how it compares against three distinct alternatives.
1. Radiate XL 8 Portable Campfire
The Radiate Portable Campfire is not a direct competitor so much as a completely different solution to the problem of portable fire. It’s a self-contained, single-use (or reusable for short durations) campfire in a tin, made from recycled soy wax and paper briquettes. It offers unparalleled convenience: just light the wicks, and you have a fire. There’s no wood to gather, no smoke, and minimal cleanup. However, it’s much smaller, provides significantly less heat, and lacks the authentic crackle and ambiance of a real wood log fire. This is the perfect alternative for someone who prioritizes ultimate portability and ease for beach trips, picnics, or short camping excursions where a traditional fire isn’t feasible or allowed. If you want a real, roaring wood fire for your backyard, the Cuisinart is the far superior choice.
2. EddHomes Outland Firebowl Carrying Bag
This product is an accessory, not a fire pit itself, but it highlights a different path: propane fire pits. The bag is designed for popular propane models like the Outland Firebowl. A propane fire pit is an alternative for those who want zero smoke, zero mess, and instant on/off control at the turn of a knob. They provide consistent heat and are often permitted during fire bans when wood fires are not. The trade-off is that you lose the authentic wood-burning experience—the smell, the sound, and the radiant heat from real embers. You also have to transport and refill propane tanks. If your primary goal is convenience and push-button simplicity, a propane pit (and a bag like this to carry it) is a great choice. If you crave the genuine campfire experience, stick with the Cuisinart.
3. Sunnydaze 36-Inch Outdoor Fire Pit
The Sunnydaze Crossweave is a perfect example of a traditional, large-format fire pit. At 36 inches, it’s significantly larger than the Cuisinart, allowing for bigger fires and providing a wide, open view of the flames from all angles. Its lower, wider bowl design radiates heat outwards very effectively, warming a larger seating area. However, it has none of the advanced airflow technology of a smokeless pit. This means it will produce copious amounts of smoke, be less efficient with wood, and leave you with a messy cleanup of half-burnt logs and ash. This is the ideal alternative for someone with a large, open space who prioritizes a massive fire and classic aesthetic over modern smokeless technology and efficiency.
The Final Verdict: A Superior Fire Pit for the Modern Backyard
After weeks of testing, we can say with confidence that the Cuisinart 24″ Cleanburn Smokeless Fire Pit is a top-tier product that delivers exceptionally well on its promises. It effectively bridges the gap between the authentic joy of a real wood fire and the modern demand for clean, efficient, and user-friendly design. Its smokeless performance is genuinely impressive, its heat output is powerful, and the revolutionary ash removal system single-handedly solves the worst part of owning a fire pit. While you’ll need to be mindful of its focused heat and protect the surface beneath it, these are minor considerations for a product that performs this well.
We recommend it without hesitation to anyone looking to upgrade their backyard, patio, or camping experience. It offers the performance of premium competitors at a highly competitive value. If you’re tired of playing musical chairs with smoke and want to spend more time enjoying the fire and less time cleaning up after it, this is the fire pit you’ve been waiting for. Ready to transform your outdoor gatherings? Check the latest price and availability on the Cuisinart 24″ Cleanburn Smokeless Fire Pit today.